Vanek-Adam-Pominville

People at the beginning of the season were attributing Luke Adam's early success to playing with Vanek and Pominville. But since he's been removed, he's played decently enough. Vanek and Pominville have also been solid, but not the type of numbers they put up early on.

Is it just me or is it time to put this line back together and hope they can find that chemistry once again?

People at the beginning of the season were attributing Luke Adam's early success to playing with Vanek and Pominville. But since he's been removed, he's played decently enough. Vanek and Pominville have also been solid, but not the type of numbers they put up early on.

Is it just me or is it time to put this line back together and hope they can find that chemistry once again?

I still can't figure out why it was ever separated.

Hecht is just as good as Adam, but there is still something missing. I think Vanek and Pomms like playing with somebody new to the league.

ruff is killing this team with his idiocy....
new pet theory:
having a back up goaltender capable of playing every 4th/5th game has lead to him needing to find a new area of the team to mismanage

I truly laughed out loud at this. Vintage. A "pet theory"!!!

If one thing is bothering me about Ruff this year, it's Gragnani. Playing him with everyone healthy was a head-scratcher. Forcing him PP minutes after diminishing the value of having a power play is even more of a head-scratcher.

The three weeks where Adam was a complete passenger and blowing his defensive assignments or turning the puck over seem so easily forgotten. He's been better in the last couple games than he was in nearly a month prior. He got dropped from Vanek and Pominville because he wasn't doing his job well enough, in particular chance generation. He looked like a lost rookie for a while, so lets not set him up as persectuted in the face of make-believe "good play".

__________________

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. - Aristotle

The three weeks where Adam was a complete passenger and blowing his defensive assignments or turning the puck over seem so easily forgotten. He's been better in the last couple games than he was in nearly a month prior. He got dropped from Vanek and Pominville because he wasn't doing his job well enough, in particular chance generation. He looked like a lost rookie for a while, so lets not set him up as persectuted in the face of make-believe "good play".

Yup. Adam sucked for a good couple weeks with Vanek and Pominville, so he got moved. He continued to suck for awhile, and now lately he's been picking up his game again. Moving him off that line wasn't a terrible decision at the time.

That said, moving him back there right now makes sense. Hecht doesn't do much for that line and would be more useful playing the wing elsewhere.

Hecht's been very good in 3 out of the 4 games he's played (Columbus game was an all-around stinker).

Maybe it's Vanek and Pommer cooling off that's an issue, rather than Hecht.
He's played with Pommer before, with great success, he's not new to the role.

Signed:

Corto, The Defender of Hecht

He's been OK since getting back. I just think he's a better player on the wing. He doesn't look terrible at center, but his game is more effective on the wing.

As for him playing with Pominville and having success, true, but again it was on the wing and with one of the best centers in the league. His production hasn't been anywhere close to what it was with Briere here. Pominville and Vanek on the other hand have been producing very well without Hecht.

He's been OK since getting back. I just think he's a better player on the wing. He doesn't look terrible at center, but his game is more effective on the wing.

As for him playing with Pominville and having success, true, but again it was on the wing and with one of the best centers in the league. His production hasn't been anywhere close to what it was with Briere here. Pominville and Vanek on the other hand have been producing very well without Hecht.

I'm just semi-serious, no worries.

Ideally, we'd get a real #1A / #1B center to play with TV and Pommer tbh.

I would like to see Adam get on the line with Vanek and Pominville. Hecht is not a center and sure as hell doesn't belong as the first line center(not that Adam is either) but it worked early so try it again. Van is #1 in the league at points per 60 minutes at 3.86 and Pominville is 12th at 3.42. Forget Bobby Ryan go after a center. I wouldn't mind a trade involving anyone but 26 or 29 for a center.

Hecht has been fantastic individually, but his effort isn't really turning into chemistry with his line. I'm still in favor of risking moving Pominville to center full time, and moving up Stafford or another winger.

The three weeks where Adam was a complete passenger and blowing his defensive assignments or turning the puck over seem so easily forgotten. He's been better in the last couple games than he was in nearly a month prior. He got dropped from Vanek and Pominville because he wasn't doing his job well enough, in particular chance generation. He looked like a lost rookie for a while, so lets not set him up as persectuted in the face of make-believe "good play".

Luke was slumping for awhile, but he's looked much better in the last two games. Hecht has performed well between Vanek-Pominville, but the wingers looked to have cooled off. Interesting Stat: Luke Adam's 3.07 pts/60 mins played at 5-on-5 is second only to Vanek's 3.09 pts/60 mins played at 5-on-5. For reference, Pommer and Roy are third and fourth with 2.80 and 2.24, respectively. Adam blows away the field with 1.75 goals/60 mins played at 5-on-5. The next closest? Vanek at 1.00. Put Luke back up there.

Leino-Roy-Kassian

Two puck possession wingers to do the dirty work for Roy. I liked Leino-Roy-Stafford, and I never would've broken them up in the first place, even with that great 3rd period in Montreal from VRP. Let Leino create possession in the offensive zone, send Kass to the net, and make space to free up Roy's offense. Or let Kass set up offense from down low. I think this could be a good cycle line.

Ennis-Hecht-Stafford

I want Ennis-Stafford back together. They worked well together last year, and they should've started the season together. Hecht there to do the little things on that line and allow for some offensive-zone creativity from Ennis and Stafford.

The three weeks where Adam was a complete passenger and blowing his defensive assignments or turning the puck over seem so easily forgotten. He's been better in the last couple games than he was in nearly a month prior. He got dropped from Vanek and Pominville because he wasn't doing his job well enough, in particular chance generation. He looked like a lost rookie for a while, so lets not set him up as persectuted in the face of make-believe "good play".

He definitely went through a tough stretch...

My problem with his demotion is that player treatment is not equal. It's always been the case with Ruff. Vanek demotions, but Roy is teflon. Players know hockey, and it must be surprising when one of the team's leading scorers is demoted, yet Gragnani gets run out there shift after shift, PP after PP... (even before injuries)

Luke was slumping for awhile, but he's looked much better in the last two games. Hecht has performed well between Vanek-Pominville, but the wingers looked to have cooled off. Interesting Stat: Luke Adam's 3.07 pts/60 mins played at 5-on-5 is second only to Vanek's 3.09 pts/60 mins played at 5-on-5. For reference, Pommer and Roy are third and fourth with 2.80 and 2.24, respectively. Adam blows away the field with 1.75 goals/60 mins played at 5-on-5. The next closest? Vanek at 1.00. Put Luke back up there.

Leino-Roy-Kassian

Two puck possession wingers to do the dirty work for Roy. I liked Leino-Roy-Stafford, and I never would've broken them up in the first place, even with that great 3rd period in Montreal from VRP. Let Leino create possession in the offensive zone, send Kass to the net, and make space to free up Roy's offense. Or let Kass set up offense from down low. I think this could be a good cycle line.

Ennis-Hecht-Stafford

I want Ennis-Stafford back together. They worked well together last year, and they should've started the season together. Hecht there to do the little things on that line and allow for some offensive-zone creativity from Ennis and Stafford.

My problem with his demotion is that player treatment is not equal. It's always been the case with Ruff. Vanek demotions, but Roy is teflon. Players know hockey, and it must be surprising when one of the team's leading scorers is demoted, yet Gragnani gets run out there shift after shift, PP after PP... (even before injuries)

The notion that Ruff is trying to turn Gragnani into Campbell is a dogged one that I can't shake. Not that MAG has the skating or competitiveness Soupy has always had, just the way he's being utilized.

It's funny to see Marc soak up the Connolly time on the PP and he is basically getting the Connolly assists -- 2nd assists that he didn't do much to garner other than passpasspasspass the puck.

Adam has been moving his feet, getting into position and getting things on net again. With Vanek-Pominville relatively cool now, it might not be a bad time to plug him in there for a few nights to see if they can recapture some of their early season form as a trio.